Gig Young

Amiable supporting player and occasional lead who broke into film in the early 1940s. Young appeared in several bit parts under his given name, Byron Barr, and the pseudonym, Bryant Fleming, before ad...
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Singer Ed Sheeran surprised a young fan during a TV show in Ireland by unexpectedly joining her to sing a duet of one of his hit songs on Friday (28Nov14). Teenager Aimee Keogh was a guest on The Late Late Toy Show, an annual programme in which kids show off the holiday season's most popular toys.
Keogh was demonstrating how a karaoke app works by singing Sheeran's track Lego House, and the fan was taken aback when the pop star showed up on the stage alongside her.
Sheeran, who flew in after a gig in England just to surprise Keogh, then offered to sing the song with her, but she was still shocked at meeting her idol, exclaiming, "I'm hysterical, oh my God!"
Not only did Keogh have the duet of a lifetime, but Sheeran told her he will pay for her and her family to see him perform in London next July (15), and presented the emotional fan with Christmas gifts, including a signed copy of his new album, X, and a 'Ted Sheeran' teddy bear.

British pop star Ellie Goulding will headline an acoustic concert to raise funds for charity next month (Dec14). The Burn hitmaker will play a stripped down set at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on 16 December (14) to raise money for the Streets of London charity, which supports the homeless.
Goulding writes on Instagram.com, "I want to change the attitude towards homelessness especially in young people, and remove the stigma and stereotypes. I was appalled when 'anti-homeless spikes' appeared around London and it prompted me to act and find out what I could do.
"Eternal thanks to... (presenter) @fearnecotton4 and the incredible acts supporting this evening - they have given up their time to come down and play some songs acoustically to help. The generosity and support of the people involved has overwhelmed me and brings a tear to my eye."
The support acts have yet to be announced.

Gwen Stefani's eldest young son helped facilitate the No Doubt frontwoman's surprise appearance with Pharrell Williams during his set at the Coachella music festival earlier this year (14). The music superstars marked the 10-year anniversary of their hit collaboration Hollaback Girl in 2014, and Williams invited Stefani to sing the track with him during his gig at the popular California festival in April (14).
During an interview with comedienne Ellen DeGeneres on her U.S. talk show on Monday (24Nov14), Stefani credited her eight-year-old son Kingston with bringing the pair back together.
She says, "It's just so crazy because he (Williams) keeps bouncing in and out of my life in such an amazing way... We hadn't seen each other in a while and all of a sudden he's doing the song Happy.
"My son (Kingston) would come home and be like, 'I wanna watch that song', and I'm like, 'Well, I know him. He's a friend of mine.'"
Stefani admits Kingston was "so mad" that he wasn't in the music video for Happy, so she suggested they make their own video, shortly after she gave birth to third son Apollo earlier this year(14), and they sent it to the superstar producer/singer.
She continues, "I sent it to Pharrell and he wrote me back and said, 'I know it's too soon, but come out and play with me at Coachella.' So that was the first time I had left the house - was walking outside and playing with him. It was amazing."
Their onstage reunion inspired Williams to collaborate with his old friend once again, and they recently released a new track called Spark the Fire, which has become the theme song for the new Paddington film.

Comedian Bill Cosby's escalating sex scandal has cost him another show on his U.S. stand-up tour after promoters in Connecticut pulled plans for a gig in January (15).
Foxwoods Resort Casino officials announced on Monday (24Nov14) that they had indefinitely postponed the embattled funnyman's concert on 31 January (15). They did not provide a reason for the decision, but the move comes amid an ongoing controversy surrounding Cosby, who has faced numerous sexual assault allegations, dating back to the late 1960s, from a slew of women in the past two weeks.
His alleged victims include model-turned-TV personality Janice Dickinson and actresses Barbara Bowman and Louisa Moritz.
Cosby's attorney Marty Singer has repeatedly denied the accusations, and released a new statement last week (ends21Nov14), dismissing the latest claims as "unsubstantiated, fantastical stories", which are "becoming increasingly ridiculous". Singer has also shot down claims made by a former employee at U.S. TV network NBC, who alleged he took young women to the funnyman's dressing room and stood guard outside, and then helped Cosby deliver thousands of dollars to eight different women with stories to tell in 1989 and 1990.
Frank Scotti, 91, told the New York Daily News he quit his job because of what he was allegedly asked to do for Cosby.
The comedian's attorney says, "It appears that his story is pure speculation so that he can get his 15 minutes of fame." Venue bosses in Las Vegas, Arizona, Illinois, South Carolina and Washington have also axed Cosby shows.

Imagine you were somehow able to get ten celebrities at your Thanksgiving table this year, and they had to exhibit the qualities of a typical table full of family. For us, this means caring, concerned, crazy and wildly intrusive. We believe these ten exhibit the qualities of their specific roles in the family, and we could see this combination of people gathered for an amazing, but semi-dysfunctional Thanksgiving.
1. Martha Stewart as Grandma
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Why would you NOT choose Martha Stewart at any sort of food event? Could you imagine the pies and the decor for Thanksgiving with the household name for everything "household?" It would be impeccable. We can imagine her being loving, but firm. She wouldn't ask you millions of questions, but she would never beat around the bush. She'd inspect from afar and expect the best from you.
2. Robert De Niro as Grandpa
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We wrestled with a stud like Harrison Ford, but I think having a hot grandpa may be a little awkward. Instead, we chose a true movie star/producer/director. We imagine him being blunt and sarcastic. He'd balance out Martha's pre-Thanksgiving freak out with his calming mannerisms. He'd be a real man's man with the boys of the family, but also genuinely interested in what was going on with the ladies.
3. Seth Rogen as the Fun/Crazy Uncle
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Seth would be the single, fun-loving uncle who basically taught you everything inappropriate growing up. He was always saying the wrong things and took jokes too far for children ears. Your mom would constantly be scolding him while trying to refrain from laughing herself. You always looked forward to him coming to family events now, because you're family has finally accepted that your not-so-young ears can withhold the jokes, so they have come out in full force. He's definitely the uncle to bring the beer.
4. Zooey Deschanel as the Cool Aunt
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Aunt Zooey is still young enough that she doesn't feel she has too much authority over you, so you get along great. She'd ask you about your significant other (or lack thereof), but not embarrass you publicly about it. She'd give the best gifts and have a sophisticated charm about her. At the dinner table, she'd get wine drunk, but still keep it together. She'd never be shocked or offended by Seth, but also never go as far as he does. She'd be calm, cool and collected.
5. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the Nice Uncle
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Joseph would obviously be married to Zooey, and they'd be an adorable young couple. He would always look out for you and be someone you knew you could go to without judgement. At Thanksgiving, he'd be one of the quieter few to just hang back and listen to everyone else. He was always contempt with not being the center of attention.
6. Kendall Jenner as a Cool Cousin
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Can you imagine how interested everyone will be in Kendall's blossoming career and how much they will forget about your seemingly unimportant life in comparison? She would get all the unwanted attention, and being her cousin would have some major perks right now. You could ask about her new lob and Estee Lauder gig and see if there were free goodies she'd want to pass on. She'd also probably be on her phone most of the day which would annoy many of your matronly family members.
7. Julianne Moore as Mom
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After seeing her as President Coin in Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, we think she's the obvious choice. She has the I've-got-it-all-together vibe and seems to be very nuturing. She wouldn't be the kind of mom who claims to be her kid's best friend and you probably be annoyed by her growing up, but get along well now. She'd be a very proud and bragging parent and make sure to annouce your recent achievements at the table.
8. George Clooney as Dad
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Sure, this may mean you think your dad is extremely attractive, but George is the only celeb for the job. He'd be protective of his daughters and supportive of his sons. He's strong and nurturing, and if he is where you get your genes from... that can only mean good things. He'd be fun and funny at the table when he wanted to be, but definitley stern if needed. He'd be the one to join Seth in watching football and drinking beer after the big meal.
9. Blake Lively as Big Sis
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HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE? She'd be the sibling that you get along really well with, but also bicker with over unimportant things. You probably hadn't seen her in awhile, with her being busy with Preserve and being with child and all that, so Thanksgiving is a good way to reconnect. She'd definitley show that she was more adult than you by offering to bring homemade pies to the meal. Everyone will rave about them despite if actually taste good or not, because it's her first domestic attempt.
10. Ryan Reynolds as the Cute Brother-in-Law
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Ryan is the beloved new member of the family. The gang has always liked him and couldn't be happier with his inclusion in the holiday. He'd get along really well with Seth, but also be calm and serious with George. He'd be the one to make everyone actually go out and play football on the lawn. He'd also make several jokes about drinking for him AND Blake throughout the day.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest star Louisa Moritz has become the latest woman to come forward accusing comedian Bill Cosby of allegedly taking advantage of her as a young actress. The Cosby Show star has been under scrutiny over the past 10 days as he has been hit with multiple accusations he was inappropriate with young females, including claims from model-turned-TV personality Janice Dickinson and actor Lou Ferrigno's wife Carla.
Now Moritz, who appeared opposite Jack Nicholson in the 1975 drama and also had a starring role in U.S. series Love American Style, joins the list of women who claim to have been assaulted by the veteran funnyman.
In an interview with TMZ.com, Moritz alleges the incident with Cosby happened during a visit to Johnny Carson's Tonight Show in 1971.
Moritz, now 68, tells the gossip site she never told anyone about it, and although America's statute of limitations on prosecutions has run out, she plans on filing a civil lawsuit against Cosby.
Cosby's lawyer has dismissed all of the sexual assault allegations, and the comedian's longtime producing partners Tom Werner and Marcy Carsey, who served as executive producers on Cosby's classic 1980s sitcom, insist they are shocked by the furore, since the man they know is a consummate professional.
Werner and Carsey released a statement on Thursday (20Nov14), which reads, "The Bill we know was a brilliant and wonderful collaborator on a show that changed the landscape of television. These recent news reports are beyond our knowledge or comprehension."
Werner and Cosby were in early development stages to create a new family-focused programme for the small screen, but bosses at America's NBC network decided to scrap the project amid the scandal.
Cosby first came under fire after funnyman Hannibal Buress revisited decades-old accusations by calling Cosby a rapist during a stand-up gig in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which prompted multiple women to speak out publicly about their alleged sexual interactions with Cosby.
He has never faced criminal charges, but reached an out-of-court settlement with a woman in 2006 after she accused him of drugging and groping her.

Country star Dierks Bentley jokingly changed the lyrics to his hit song Drunk On A Plane after a female fan he invited to join him onstage vomited in front of the horrified audience. The singer was performing at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania on Thursday night (13Nov14) when he asked several young fans to sing along with him onstage.
However, one woman began to feel queasy during her big moment, and she left the crowd green around the gills when she doubled over and violently threw up.
In film footage posted on TMZ.com, audience members can be heard reacting with horror as the woman vomits, but Bentley quickly turns their disgust into laughter by singing the line "They all know why I'm getting drunk on a plane" but changing the lyrics to "They all know why she's puking up on the stage".

American rockers A Day To Remember ended their set early after a fan fell from a balcony during a concert in Portsmouth, England on Wednesday (12Nov14). The Florida-based group was 30 minutes into the gig at Portsmouth's Guildhall venue when a 21-year-old local man plunged 20 feet (six metres) from the upper level into the stalls.
The band stopped the show immediately and announced the rest of the gig was cancelled. The venue was then evacuated so police and ambulance crews could attend to the concertgoer.
The rockers later apologised on Twitter.com, writing, "Our thoughts are w/ (with) the person who was injured at the show tonight in Portsmouth. Sorry we had to cut the set short due to the circumstances."
A spokesperson for the Portsmouth Cultural Trust, which runs the venue, tells Portsmouth.co.uk, "Last night at a concert by the band A Day to Remember a young man appeared to dive off of the circle of the Portsmouth Guildhall, landing in the stalls narrowly avoiding the crowd below... We are thankful to A Day to Remember for stopping the concert, as well as the public for their co-operation."
The man was admitted to Southampton General Hospital, where he is being treated for serious head injuries. Police are investigating the incident.

Rap superstar Jay Z surprised fans in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York on Thursday (30Oct14) by joining Young Jeezy onstage at the Powerhouse 2014 concert to perform their hit collaboration Seen It All. The Empire State of Mind hitmaker, who recently returned to the Big Apple following an extended vacation in Europe, sent fans into a frenzy during the finale at the star-studded Barclays Center show as he appeared onstage with headliner Jeezy to rap his verse on the track.
But Jay Z wasn't the only unexpected guest of the night - Remy Ma, who recently completed six years in prison for an assault and weapons possession conviction, hit the stage with French Montana and treated attendees to renditions of her hits Lean Back and Whuteva.
Other performers at local radio station Power 105's annual gig included Chris Brown, T.I., Childish Gambino, J. Cole and Ne-Yo.

A concert by dance music star Skrillex was marred when 16 fans were hospitalised after taking drugs. Paramedics treated several concert-goers at the show in at Chicago's Navy Pier venue on Saturday (18Oct14).
It is not known what condition the victims were in or what substances they had consumed.
Andrew Bazos, security chief for the show's promoters SFX, tells NBC Chicago, "They're young, and they're often irresponsible."
A spokesman for SFX insisted the promoters do all they can to curb drug-taking at concerts, adding, "We're very strict at the doors so that people don't bring bad things in."

Title

Received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his work in drama about alcoholism, "Come Fill the Cup", starring James Cagney

Served in WWII

Last films included "The Hindenburg" and "The Killer Elite"; appeared in the Bruce Lee film "Game of Death" which was shot mostly in 1973 but held up until 1979 because star Bruce Lee died during its making

Received a second Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the comedy, "Teacher's Pet", starring Clark Gable and Doris Day

Signed by Warner Bros.

First featured film role in "The Gay Sisters"; played character named "Gig Young" and subsequently adopted the name for himself

Summary

Amiable supporting player and occasional lead who broke into film in the early 1940s. Young appeared in several bit parts under his given name, Byron Barr, and the pseudonym, Bryant Fleming, before adopting the name of his character in the 1942 feature, "The Gay Sisters". While he proved capable in several dramatic parts (notably as the sleazy emcee in the haunting "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" which brought him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar), Young seemed destined to play debonair cads and slightly inebriated playboys who never win the female lead in the end in sophisticated light comedies such as "Desk Set" (1957), "Teacher's Pet" (1958) and "That Touch of Mink" (1962). Young's third and fifth wives were actresses Elizabeth Montgomery and Kim Schmidt; he allegedly shot the latter three weeks into the marriage before turning the gun on himself.

Born c. 1947; German; Married September 1978; wed for only three weeks; Allegedly shot to death by Young October 19, 1978

Shelia Stapler

Wife

Elaine Whitman

Wife

Gave birth to a daughter Jennifer, but Young was later suspicious that child wasn't his and rejected her; he left her $10 in his will

Jennifer Young

Daughter

Gig Young filed a non-paternity suit claiming he wasn't her father; left her $10 in his will

Education

Name

Pasadena Playhouse

Notes

Gig Young only used the names "Byron Barr" and "Bryant Fleming" in a handful of bit roles during his earliest period at Warner Brothers. From 1942 on he was known as "Gig Young". He did this partly to avoid being confused with another actor starting out in Hollywood named Byron Barr, who kept the name and racked up around 20 credits in Hollywood features between 1942 and the early 1950s. This Byron Barr played supporting roles and is perhaps best remembered as the hot-headed Nino Zachette, the boyfriend nearly framed for murder, in Billy Wilder's film noir classic, "Double Indemnity" (1944).